In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a variety of Christian groups up and down the UK started to ask serious questions about the education that their children were receiving. A number of these groups took the radical step of starting schools where Christ was the centre of the educational process.
By the mid-1980s God had prompted the opening of further similar schools across the UK, all functioning independently of each other. Several of the Head Teachers began to meet together for mutual support and encouragement – they valued their diversity but committed themselves to working together. Out of this informal gathering, ‘The Christian Schools’ Trust’ was established in 1985.
In the early days the emphasis was on staff training, curriculum development and developing friendships between heads, staff and pupils. These remain important to us but more recently we have also become involved in other issues such as seeking government recognition for our teacher training, establishing an inspectorate for faith schools, representing Christian educational views in the national media and researching the effects and effectiveness of our schools over the past 20 years.
Our structures and activities are more complex than they were, but we are still primarily concerned with supporting each other in providing a Godly education for children and young people.
The Christian Schools’ Trust is a registered charity and a group of independent Christian schools working together aiming toward putting faith and a relationship with God central to the process of education. There are around 35 member schools that vary greatly in their profiles and backgrounds, but our common vision draws us together in strong friendships and partnerships. Although each school is completely autonomous in its government we work together through CST in many ways to enhance the effectiveness of our education. CST is also a member of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).
Benefits of Full School Membership
· A relational national network of Christian headteachers and school staff
· Significant savings on CST provided conferences
· Regular meetings for headteachers, online and face-to-face
· Regional What’s AppTM group networking for advice and prayer
· Biblically-based Subsidised training for teachers in being a Christian Educator
· Biblically-based training for headteachers, governors and middle leaders
· Advertising of staff vacancies through CST channels and website
· Advertising of school, increasing pupil enquiries, through website
· Personal advice, prayer and support from experienced leaders and professionals
· Access to CST Christian ethos inspections
· Access to networking with other education organisations and advocacy groups
· Networking with other schools for corporate events (e.g., sports)
· Sharing of policies and curriculum practices across schools
· Regular communications with spiritual encouragement, recommendations of resources
and practical advice
· Reputational benefits of being a member of CST as a nationally recognised organisation
· Permission to use the CST logo for your school documentation and websites
· As a fully paid member you will have access to the ACSI Membership Plus Level which
includes training, the Christian Schools Improvement Platform (CSIP), add job vacancies,
international connections and conferences. CST pays for ACSI membership
· As CST pays for TISCA, ACT and Affinity membership, you will have the benefit of
advertising job vacancies on their website as well as the benefit of accessing
conferences at reduced rates.
To find out more click on the link https://christianschoolstrust.co.uk/
If you would like to donate to the CST to further the work in Christian education then please use this QR code, thank you.
